Who Leads Washington Race For No. 2 Tight End?

The Washington Football Team will be adding new pieces offensively to coordinator Scott Turner's system. They also have high-profile names returning from breakout years.

Perhaps the biggest star to shine last season was Logan Thomas, the team's top tight end. In his first full season as a starter, Thomas recorded a career-best 72 catches for 670 yards and six touchdowns.

Outside of Terry McLaurin, this was Washington's best pass-catcher. He might not be the No. 2 target in 2021, but Thomas is still going to be the lead tight end.

How about a No. 2 option?

WFT will likely be trying to expand the offense to more than three-receiver sets or 10-man personnel. Turner could implement plays with a 12-man personnel, featuring two tight ends to work in the short-yardage game and more.

Thomas will be locked in as one tight end. Who is the other going into camp? And which tight end on this roster, behind Logan, will justify the use of two-tight-end sets?

Coach Ron Rivera parted ways with two of his three backup tight ends from 2020. Combined, Jeremy Sprinkle, Temarrick Hemingway and Marcus Baugh combined for three total catches and 18 yards.

Three. Total. Catches.

Washington added two new weapons, each with a skillset that could give him the lead.

This offseason, Sammis Reyes, a Chilean-born basketball player, will try to pull an Antonio Gates and make his mark in D.C.

Reyes has yet to play professional football, and it showed sometimes in recent workouts. The 6-7 athlete dropped several easy passes from the quarterbacks and was inconsistent in his route-running.

But the size? Wow. That's something coaches can't teach, and a trait QB Ryan Fitzpatrick believes could help the offense.

“The first time I saw O.J. Howard, I said, 'That this guy was put on earth to play tight end in the NFL.' Sammis might even be bigger than him," Fitzpatrick said during OTAs in May. "Just in terms of his frame and how muscular he is.

"There are not a whole lot of human beings on earth that look like that.”

John Bates, a fourth-round pick out of Boise State, could be the more complete option. Not only has he played the sport, but he's thrived at the position during his time with the Broncos.

Bates told the Washington Football Talk podcast on NBC Sports that what gives him an edge is his well-round style of play. Offensively, he's a reliable target in the flats, but he also will contribute in the run game as a blocker.

"I take tremendous pride in run blocking," Bates said. "The biggest thing for me is that, especially at this level, you run the ball to win the game. If you can't run the ball, it doesn't open anything else. You're kind of stuck."

Washington does have a third option in Ricky Seals-Jones. Seals-Jones, 26, has been around the block since joining the NFL out of Texas A&M in 2017. He's spent time with the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Seals-Jones offers little in the passing game downfield, but he has been a touted red-zone option in his career. Could that be his role in 2021?

Turner and the offense are looking for speed after a 7-9 campaign. They'll have that with Curtis Samuel joining the pack, along with rookie Dymai Brown from North Carolina on the outside.

The team is also looking for size to expand the run game. Seals-Jones, Bates and perhaps even Reyes could provide that and more as Washington looks to repeat for the NFC East title.

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